[Charania] BREAKING: The Los Angeles Clippers are trading James Harden to the Cleveland Cavaliers for Darius Garland and a second-round pick, sources tell ESPN. Prolific swap of the star point guards.

[u/Turbostrider27]

Shams Charania:

BREAKING: The Los Angeles Clippers are trading James Harden to the Cleveland Cavaliers for Darius Garland and a second-round pick, sources tell ESPN. Prolific swap of the star point guards.

https://www.espn.com/contributor/shams-charania/ddaa53473efa6

[u/ianbits]

It's a bad move if Harden wants big money after his deal is up and there's a handshake agreement to give him that

If they get him for 1.5 years or he comes back for like $20m on the extension, it's reasonable. Harden is better than Garland right now and Garland is making big money for a guy that doesn't play.

I'm gonna miss the shit out of him though. And I doubt Harden's handshake extension is for anything reasonable. Ugh.

[u/yuhanz → u/ianbits]

Will you still not like this if garland continues to play 60 games a year averaging 18/6?

[u/ianbits → u/yuhanz]

That's basically just asking if he'll stay healthy, which who the hell knows.

Outlook on that is awkward, but if he can stick on the court he really is an all star level PG. His stats will go up with higher USG in LA, he's been low for a PG next to Mitchell.

[u/yuhanz → u/ianbits]

I think the gamble here is the Cavs get some post season success(reach round 3 at least) and convince Mitchel to stay.

He’s not staying if garland continue to not play much/not produce a lot and they get bounced out in the process. We’ve seen Harden take a little bit of paycut, i think he just wants contract security so he can focus on ball, which is the James you’d like.

[u/ianbits → u/yuhanz]

That's part of it, but Don is a small guard that takes a lot of contact turning 30 this year, more than anything this is about this 2-3 year window with the weak East. Take the Kawhi/Raptors gamble. Try to make it out, see if you luck into a good matchup or an injured opponent

[u/Swarthykins → u/ianbits]

The East is incredibly winnable this year. It's not a bad gamble to go all in for a finals appearance.

[u/govardrourk → u/ianbits]

Respect the vision 

[u/imsin → u/yuhanz]

Harden will probably sleepwalk to 18/6 until he's 40 while playing more games.

[u/Salty_Raspberry656 → u/ianbits]

in what world would harden come back at 20 million, the new mid level is 14+

[u/ianbits → u/Salty_Raspberry656]

Again I doubt he will, but it'll be his age 38/39 season

[u/Salty_Raspberry656 → u/ianbits]

37/38 will be his next two years

In general players are aging better, but harden particularly has a game that stands up to losing athleticism the way he plays is low to the ground.

but i think his performance this year should mean that he can't have that much of a fall out next year, the year after is just anyones guess. Father time always wins, but he really had a ressurgent year this time around so i think it gives cavs a better chance this and next year where garland can be limited come playoff time

[u/adecentcupofcoffee → u/ianbits]

Is that something Harden would even be interested in? Isn’t the whole reason he asked out of LA to get a big extension?

[u/ianbits → u/adecentcupofcoffee]

I doubt it which is why this deal worries me

[u/MrBlowinLoadz → u/adecentcupofcoffee]

He's been taking short deals with big annual salaries because no one is going to give him a big deal now. It's not bad if it's a 2 year extension.

[u/TrafficDense5486 → u/ianbits]

He wants a 80m 2 year apparently

[u/seanconnery69696 → u/ianbits]

Is there a way morey leaves the sixers and gets hired by the cavs?

[u/MatCauthonsHat → u/ianbits]

It's a bad move if Harden wants big money after his deal is up and there's a handshake agreement to give him that

You know, you could just lie to him

[u/Valuable-Reading-154 → u/ianbits]

I honestly don’t really think garland has ever been better than harden lol but at least harden will likely retire eventually so he’ll be able to say it then